In the fragmented and fast-changing world of media consumption, political campaigns are rethinking everything about how they buy ads. Gone are the days of choosing between TV or digital. Today, the most effective approach blends both. It's no longer about one versus the other—it's about both, strategically layered.
Let’s break down what that means and how campaigns can put it into action.
Why Traditional Media Still Matters
Despite the digital hype, traditional media—broadcast TV, cable, and satellite—is far from obsolete. In fact, in an era riddled with misinformation and AI-generated content, traditional platforms offer something digital often lacks: credibility.
That sense of trust makes traditional channels a critical part of any layered media strategy. When combined with digital platforms, they create a credible foundation while digital extends reach and provides precision.
Know Your Audience Before You Buy
Every good media strategy starts with a simple question: Who are you trying to reach?
Different demographics consume media in different ways. In some areas, only 20% of households stream content. In others, that number exceeds 90%. Age, income, and geography all play a role in shaping media habits.
Before planning any buy, campaigns must align their media strategy with the audience’s behavior. The goal is to meet voters where they are—and that changes from district to district.
Layering Platforms for Greater Reach
Using just one or two streaming platforms might be easy to execute, but it limits scale. Expanding to three, five, or even more platforms broadens your audience and increases unique reach. It also helps avoid audience fatigue, where the same person sees the same ad repeatedly on a single platform.
Diversity in platform selection matters. Combining premium AVODs (advertising video on demand) with niche content hubs (like Crunchyroll for anime or specialized news apps) boosts reach and engagement. Aggregators also contribute by helping campaigns cover more digital ground efficiently.
The fragmented nature of media today means voters are splitting their time across several platforms. To capture their attention, campaigns must do the same.
Frequency Matters—but So Does Frequency Capping
While reach is important, frequency—how often someone sees your ad—also matters. But too much frequency on a single platform can be a waste of budget and a nuisance to voters.
That’s why frequency capping is essential. It controls how often your ad appears to a single user, avoiding overexposure and irritation. This makes it easier to spread impressions across multiple platforms, enhancing recall without overspending.
Balancing Premium and Long-Tail Inventory
There’s always tension between buying high-profile, premium inventory and more affordable long-tail ad placements. Premium inventory—like national news sites or well-known streaming platforms—offers higher credibility and better user experience. But it's expensive.
Long-tail platforms, often lesser-known sites with heavier ad loads, can be more cost-effective. However, they risk clutter and lower visibility. Still, when filtered through brand safety tools like DoubleVerify or IAS, they can contribute significantly to a campaign’s reach at a lower cost.
A smart layered media strategy uses a mix of both. Premium for credibility and visibility; long-tail for budget efficiency and broader reach.
Waterfall Buying for Smarter Budget Allocation
One effective method for media buying is a waterfall strategy. Here’s how it works:
- Set your top priority—premium publishers.
- If those impressions can’t be filled, move to a second tier of high-quality but less elite sites.
- Finally, include a third tier of broader inventory for maximum reach.
This hierarchy helps ensure your budget is used efficiently while maintaining quality control over ad placement.
Combining Direct Buys and Programmatic
For certain campaigns, especially those with specific homepage takeover goals or higher rotational ad demands, direct buying from publishers is still the gold standard. It guarantees placement and timing.
But that doesn’t mean programmatic is off the table. In fact, pairing the two—direct buys for premium placements and programmatic for broader distribution—is often the best approach. This dual strategy ensures both precision and scale.
Accepting and Managing Overlap
Overlap is often seen as the enemy of efficiency. But in today’s landscape, it’s a necessary evil.
Trying to eliminate overlap entirely is not only unrealistic—it’s counterproductive. Voters are constantly switching between platforms, unsubscribing from one service and subscribing to another based on what’s trending. In this environment, reaching the same voter multiple times across platforms can actually reinforce your message.
The key is to monitor overlap and manage it wisely. Some platforms offer unique reach, while others overlap significantly. Adjusting investment accordingly helps balance frequency with expansion.
Precision vs. Scale: Not Either-Or, But a Dimmer Switch
Think of precision and scale not as a toggle, but as a dimmer switch. Campaigns need different levels of each depending on their goals.
For targeted messaging, high precision might be worth sacrificing reach. For broad awareness, scale becomes more important—even at the risk of some waste. Understanding when and how to shift that balance is critical for effective media buying.
Beyond the Voter File: Expanding the Audience
Audience match rates are far from perfect. A typical voter file might only match 70% of your intended audience. That leaves 30% in the dark.
The solution? Expand your targeting. Use behavioral data, lookalike audiences, or interest-based targeting to supplement the voter file. Messaging can be adjusted accordingly—more general messages for broader audiences, sharper ones for core supporters.
Ultimately, excluding everyone outside the voter file means missing potential voters.
Rethinking Measurement: From GRPs to Impressions
The industry has largely moved away from the traditional Gross Rating Point (GRP) model to one focused on impressions. This shift reflects the reality of modern media consumption.
Cross-platform measurement tools like Nielsen One, VideoAmp, and Samba offer deduplicated reach metrics that help campaigns understand their true impact. While not as simple or universally understood as GRPs, these tools provide clearer insight into performance across channels.
The price for these tools may seem high, but in the context of multimillion-dollar campaigns, they’re a smart investment.
The Role of Display and Paid Social
While video dominates campaign media plans, static display and paid social have unique advantages. For one, they’re cost-effective. For another, they can serve as reinforcement for video ads, especially in retargeting strategies.
Display ads with strong calls to action can be effective in driving behavior and improving overall campaign performance. They complement, rather than compete with, video.
Transparency Builds Trust in Digital Buys
Ensuring media dollars are well spent requires transparency between campaigns and their media partners. Ask the right questions: What platforms are being used? What are the brand safety and viewability standards? How are frequency caps being enforced?
Open communication and well-defined metrics keep everyone aligned—and protect your investment.
Final Thoughts
Today’s political media landscape demands nuance. A layered media strategy that combines traditional and digital platforms, premium and long-tail inventory, direct and programmatic buying, and video with display is no longer optional. It's essential.
By understanding audience behavior, embracing overlap, and balancing precision with scale, campaigns can deliver their messages with greater effectiveness—and less waste.
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